Writing on Packages

Can packages have both "FRAGILE" and "HANDLE WITH CARE" on them? Or, can they only have one or the other? Just want to be consistent.

Thanks!!

Cost of Challenge

I mailed off my packages yesterday - all except for 2 that the post office refused - one didn't meet 1st class mail criteria and the other used a priority mail box. I sent them home with the kids today to fix and I am going to mail them tomorrow. My total bill came to right over $110! The kids really enjoyed this project and I feel that it was a wonderful thing for them to participate in. But how does everyone else pay for this? I was able to tap in to some money through a science consumable fund that we have. But, this is the last year for this fund so I am brainstorming for next year. I can't ask the students to pay, but I can't pay that much myself either. I hate to do it in only one or two classes - the other classes just wouldn't think that is fair. Most students worked in pairs already, so even if I required everyone to work in pairs, it wouldn't cut the total cost by very much. How does everyone else pay for this?

Score Those Packages

This is the best week! Hopefully packages have started to arrive at your school. If you haven't already done so, please visit the "How to" guide at http://www.gatesscience.info/teamescience/howto.htm and scroll down to "Receiving Packages." At the very bottom is a link to an Excel spreadsheet you can use for scoring. Send me only the school's scores when you think you have all of the packages. Remebr, I'm dealing with 132 individuals. DO send the scores to your partner school as you record them. These people are anxiously waiting for their results.

Enjoy this week and the next. Send me any images or anecdotes that you want, and I'll post them to your page.

Enjoy,

Charlie

Volume question

Greetings! A student asked me a question about the way that the volume of the container will be calculated. He wondered if the package could be made of two distinct sections attached to one another: a container for the chip and an outer cage to protect it. Would the volume of the package be calculated as the volume of the outside shell (of the cage) or using the displacement method? Any input would be most welcome!

What e-mail?

I don't know what happened! I went back and looked at all of the posts. According to me they all have two people receiving the e-mail. Therefore I have no way of knowing who didn't get what. Send me a note if you haven't received a message, and I'll copy the e-mail message and send it as a reply, or ask your partner school to do it.

Sorry about that!

Charlie

Pringles Challenge Laugh

Two students came to me with a brilliant plan for the Pringles Challenge. They assured me they had tested their idea thoroughly and that their Pringle would NOT break in the package they would be using. Keep in mind these are two of the sweetest girls on the planet as far as middle school kids go. One of them pulls out a ziploc bag from behind her back and explains: "Mr. Williamson, we filled the bag with Splenda and put the Pringle inside." She then tossed it on the floor, picked it up, tossed it back and forth to her partner and said "See, it didn't break". My calm reply: "Girls, this is great, there's just one thing..." Puzzled looks on their faces..."Do you think it's really a good idea to send a ziploc bag filled with white powder through the postal service to another state?" Wide eyes, red faces and huge laughs from then on...One of my coworkers and I joked later when I told him they were going to be sent to Pennsylvania about the headlines "Pittsburgh Postal Service Evacuated...Mysterious white powder leaking from package originating from middle school in Newport, North Carolina"...ah, the joys of middle school!

Email?

Help! I did not get an email???

Am I able to participate?

Sincerely, Mrs. Welsh
Fort Cherry SD